Ed Wood – Horse Photographer Interview

Where I am
Mount Pleasant, MichiganTell us a little about you, what is your background & where do you come from?
I grew up Ovid, Michigan, which is a very small town about ½ hour northeast of Lansing. I graduated from a local community college in Criminal Justice. I now live in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. I’ve worked in various fields including retail, real estate and community mental health, but my passion has always been photography. I started a small company called Artworks Photo & Design that specializes in unique portraiture, weddings, and more. I have a wonderful wife and two beautiful children.

When did you take your first picture?
My wife and I received a Nikon N50 35mm film camera as a gift about 10 years ago – I’ve been shooting ever since, eventually converting to all digital.

What kind of camera do you use?
Nikon D300, D200.

Who are your main influences?
I don’t have a mentor or any specific artist that has influenced me.

My style is something that I developed; it varies from subject to subject. I am most influenced by the subjects’ themselves.

What made you first start photographing horses?
I am always looking for new ways to push myself, create new images, and try new things. Horses have always fascinated me. I asked a friend to let me spend some time with her six horses. As I stood in the pasture, all six horses ran past me, within about 30 feet from me – I could feel the vibration through the ground and the sound was incredible -I was hooked.

You also photograph people; do you prefer shooting one over the other or a combination of them both?
I spend a lot of time preparing for the photo session. Not just checking equipment, but trying to get to know the subject and gathering as much information as I can about the subject in order find out what type of personality I’m working with. That gives me a starting point on the type of images that I want to create.

I enjoy working with horses because they are such powerful and majestic animals with definite personalities of their own, but I equally enjoy working with people.

Each person is different with their own personality, story and qualities. The images that I create are based on the personality of the subject. I try to create images that represent who the subject is at that very moment… my goal is to create images that my customers will look at 20 years from now, smile and say – “I remember that day.”

What is your favorite horse color?
To me, the color of the horse isn’t as important as the personality, energy and style.

Where were you the most inspired, but without a camera?
The delivery room when my son and daughter were born.

What effect do you think the Internet will have on art and photography in general?
I think the Internet has and will continue to have a large impact on art and photography. I think we are now able to see art from very talented artists from around the world at any given moment. The Internet allows artists to present their work to more viewers than ever before. I think that people will still enjoy walking into an art gallery. There’s just something about walking through an art gallery and finding a piece of art that you instantly fall in love with.

Has it had an effect on yours?
Absolutely.

I am able to offer services that, without the Internet, I would not have been able to offer before such as online proofing. My customers can view their proofs online from any computer in the world.

I can show a potential customer my portfolio in the form of a slideshow on the Internet on other side of the globe.

Which one is your personal favorite image?
That’s a tough question. I really don’t have one image that is my “favorite.” To me, my images represent moments and each image represents a time, place and customer that I was fortunate enough to share their moment with them.

What else are you passionate about?
Music plays a big part in my life. Music is similar to a photograph because you can hear a song and remember an exact moment in time, just like looking at a photograph.

Working on anything new?
I’m always experimenting with new images, searching for new ideas and trying to create images that will make people stop and think.

More to Come

Thanks to Ed for answering the interview and sharing his work. Be sure to check out his photography website periodically for updates about his latest works.

Also stay tuned for more interviews with horse artists and photographers.
Are you a horse artist or do you know an equine artist you’d like to see featured? Add your name and website in the comments below or drop me a note to get involved.